Saturday, October 22, 2011

Weekend Tidbit: Mukesh Ambani

Despite earlier reports he had, new media reports claim Indian gajillionaire Mukesh Ambani–estimated net worth $27 billion–has not, in fact, moved into the colossal and controversial, 27-story cantilevered tower he built in the vast city of Mumbai as his family's private residence. Most reports say Antilla–or Antilia depending on where one looks–cost the polyester, petrochemical, and petroleum über-tycoon upwards of a billion bucks to design, build and decorate.

Whatever it cost, a new report in The Old Gray Lady states Mister and Missus Ambani occasionally entertain at Antilla but when the party's over they typically return to Sea Wind, a customized 14-story tower-mansion in Mumbai where they've lived for years and reportedly share with their three children, his mother and his estranged younger brother (and fellow billionaire) Anil Ambani.

One possibility put forth by various people who may or may not know what they're talking about is that Mister Ambani might be bothered by the intense criticism he has faced for building such and expensive, visible, and blatantly ostentatious monument to his extreme wealth in a city like Mumbai where, according to The New York Times, "more than half the population lives in slums."

Another possibility, first put forth back in May (2011) in the English-language newspaper DNA who quoted "sources in the know," is that the 570-foot tall tower-residence does not currently conform to various Vastu Shastra principles; In simple terms a kind of philosophy for construction and day-core not so different from Feng Shui, only for Hindus. The short DNA report did say that Mister and Missus Ambani have consulted their family pandit–a scholar, expert or temple priest–to assist in the remedy of the situation.

Or maybe, just maybe, Mister and Missus Ambani have found that Antilla, with it's (rumored and reported) lobby entrance with 9 elevator banks, 3 helipads, six-floor parking garage with private service station, snow-making room, 50-seat movie theater, fitness club, behemoth ballroom, and hanging gardens, is simply too big and fancy for a family of five.

18 comments:

angie
said...

I suppose it was only a matter of time for a billion dollar home to make it's appearance. The only logical reason for this illogical build is just to prove he can. With half the city around him scrounging for scraps of food to stay alive another day, he's got to be some new kind of insensitive.

Angie, I would posit that this monstrosity is a exteriorization of his inner very disturbed personality. In effect, he has spent a billion or so to proclaim to the world in an unmistakeable way how screwed up he is inside. Needless to say, I doubt he is aware of this. The place should be analyzed by a shrink, not by an architect.

Yes, I know. No one made me read this, and I sure wish I had not. I don't find anything interesting about a multi-billionaire from India building some ridicious billion dollar home. It's just ridicious, and you have to know he's just a creedy b....... What does he and his family do? Look out at the poverty surrounding them and just feel extra special? What a waste of money. They should be ashamed.

Mama, I still want to hear more about Maria Shriver's new home. She has to have moved in it by now.

Vulgar is right. The snow making room makes Candy Spelling's gift wrapping room look quaint in comparison. Not one, or two, but three helipads??? And a private service station? I don't know how somebody like this lives with himself in the immediate face of such extreme and widespread poverty. Vulgar.

Yes, it is vulgar and crass. I would also say it was vulgar and crass for the architectural firm, an american firm to take on the project and reap huge fees from this disgusting display of personality disorder.

Hideous, in every way. Nasty and vulgar contempt for India's poor. Oh, and made his billions in "petrochemicals", a dirty nasty business that's no doubt cost all sorts of species, plants, and human beings. How many wells did he poison, how many skeletons are in that closet? I have nothing but contempt for a person who makes billions despoiling the environment, then flaunting his wealth like that. It's reprehensible. And frankly, stupid. When the people revolt, as they have again and again throughout history, this ugly tower looks like a target. Hence the helipads, I suppose. Disgusting in every way, this thing.

(My verification: "Odistele", which sounds like the name of an exotic and beautiful girl, who agrees with me on my above points.)

This "home" is vulgar, crass, tasteless, disgusting and ugly. The people of India should raid his house and drag him out into the street and beat him and his family. It just shows utter detachment from reality and the abject poverty of his own people around him.

Perhaps he and others like him should pay attention to what happened to Gaddafi closely...

I kind of like it. It would be great to have a snow room during the hot days in India. Besides, somebody had to build the first European palace and now we look at them with reverence for their history. Maybe someday, generations will look back at the first skyscraper/single family homes with the same admiration for its foresight. Besides, he can afford it and can afford the loss when he gets bored and eventually sells it for less than 50 mil.

7:47, first of all half the people in Manhattan do not live in abject poverty. Secondly no one lives in a 27 story tower by themselves and no one in Manhattan or anywhere else in the country lives in a billion dollar plus home so yes, we would still be critical of him there.

......because you can I guess. I mean, I'm all for billionaires living sickly luxuriously, Lord knows I would with no shame in fact. But I think the only billionaires that live fabulously wealthy, yet remain tasteful is Oprah Winfrey and Roman Abramovich. And Roman is super hot!!